FCC

Coal India commissions India's First Indigenous Electric Rope Shovel

2025-05-05

Coal India Limited has announced the commissioning of India’s first indigenously developed electric rope shovel at Nigahi Project of its subsidiary, Northern Coalfields (NCL), in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh.

The handing-over and commissioning ceremony of this state-of-the-art shovel – manufactured by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) – witnessed the presence of its PM Prasad, Chairman, Dr Vinay Ranjan, Director (HR); Achyut Ghatak, Director (Technical); Shantanu Roy, CMD, BEML; and B. Sairam, CMD, NCL; and senior management from Coal India, NCL, and BEML, both physically and virtually.

In his virtual address from Corporate Office in Kolkata, Prasad, described the induction of this shovel into Coal India’s HEMM fleet as a significant step towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He also lauded the strong work culture at NCL and expressed confidence that the new machine would be utilised to its optimum capacity.

This 20-cubic-metre (cu m) electric rope shovel features a robust high-tensile bucket and boom design, a fully air-conditioned ergonomic operator cabin, and an impressive annual production capacity of 4.45 million cu m. It is also equipped with real-time monitoring and diagnostics with integrated safety and fault protection systems.